Cruising To Sint Maarten
Avid cruisers have no doubt experienced cruising into Port of St. Maarten on the Dutch side of the island. While we wait for ships to return to American ports, Sint Maarten is gearing up to welcome back visitors to A. Wathey Pier and nearby Philipsburg. Cruising from the island couldnt be an easier experience as the port is near a number of hotels, restaurants and shopping to enjoy both before and after your cruise vacation.
Several cruise lines like Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruise Line and Windstar Cruises have announced plans to sail from Sint Maarten starting this summer, so if youre ready for your next vacation, the island is ready to have you!
Top Things To Do In St Maarten On Your Royal Caribbean Cruise
Many Royal Caribbean cruises that visit the Eastern Caribbean will make a stop in St. Maarten, an island split between The Netherlands and France. St. Maarten is known for its beautiful beaches, and exquisite examples of Dutch and French culture.
Royal Caribbean cruise ships dock on the Dutch side of the island, right outside of the Dutch capital of Philipsburg. Visitors to St. Maarten will find a good mix of aquatic activities, shopping, dining and more. Here are some popular options for what to do on your day in St. Maarten.
A Wathey Pier And Terminal
Cruise ships dock at the A. Wathey Pier with six docking spots for large ships. The piers are fairly close to the exiting gates where your ID will be checked when returning to the ship. Cruise passengers with walking difficulties will find transportation between the gangway an the exit gates.
Main Terminal Building in Saint Martin before Hurricane Irma
The Cruise Terminal Area has been restored to its basic function as seen on this photo from January 2018.
Once outside the exit gate control, there is large open air Terminal where the cruise traveler will find a number of buildings with all major services and amenities – Tourism Information, Excursions and Tours, Wi-Fi spots , ATM, Taxis, Restrooms , Water Taxi , a good number of stalls with souvenirs, a couple of shops with Duty Free Alcohol, Tobacco , chocolates, snacks and beverages.
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Live It Have It Be It
87% of St. Maartens revenues come from the tourism industry. The cruise industry is the major contributor. The extraordinary success of our tourism industry attests not only to St. Maartens spectacular island scenery but to dedicated teamwork of Port St. Maarten and the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau in actively marketing and developing its utmost potential.
We are one of the most successful tourist destinations in the Caribbean. There is a reason why we are known as The Friendly Island! With our long history of warm hospitality and delightful cultural diversity, we always do our best to ensure that short-stay cruise passengers and long-stay tourists reap the most. The maximum. Our well-developed infrastructure and facilities ensure that the math works: maximum hospitality + playful possibilities = ultimate experience!
We work closely with the cruise and yachting sectors. We share one vision.
We seek to maximize the quality offered to tourism customers and, at the same time, to maximize the quality of life of our community, St. Maarten. Enhancing the visitor experience means being innovative and inventive. Upgrading of existing overnight facilities to cater to the ever-expanding number of staying guests, we are always a port on the move. Adding boutique hotels. A new waterpark. Spa facilities.
Weve prioritized for our future. Motivating cruise passengers to return to our island for longer stays. Again and again and again.
Dont Leave The Island Without
Buying a bottle of guavaberry liqueur, the national drink, made from rum and locally grown guava berries: tastings and purchases at the Guavaberry Emporium, an old gingerbread-fretted house on Philipsburg’s Front Street. For Dutch treats various goudas , jenevers, stroopwafels visit the Amsterdam Cheese and Liquor Store, halfway between downtown Philipsburg and the port.
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Indulgence By The Sea Spa
If your idea of a vacation includes massages, pedicures, and facials, be sure to reserve yourself a spot at Indulgence by the Sea Spa, found at the Divi Little Bay Beach resort.
This spa provides a variety of treatments including facials, manicures, pedicures, and massages. All treatments use hand-elected, organic products and oils personally tested by the owner. Stop by for some relaxation after a long day of island excursions.
Pinel Island And Little Key
Explore the different beaches and coves around Pinel Island and Little Key at your own pace by renting a kayak for the day. Rental fees start at just $15 USD per kayak, and the shop will give you some detailed directions and insider tips.
Take your kayak around to Pinel Island and Little Key, beaching on each islands shore for a brief hike or a quick swim before continuing. Youll find various restaurants and gift shops nestled on the beaches.
If youd rather get away from it all, kayak over to the channel between St Maarten and Pinel till you find the North beach. Virtually unspoiled, you can get away from everything, do some snorkeling, and walk the length of the beach to stretch your legs some.
For a chance at some great views, hike to the top of the island to see the surrounding islands. Be sure to take your camera with you to capture everything.
Once youre done, its only a short 10-minute kayak ride back to St. Martin.
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Where Do Cruise Ships Dock
Cruise ships dock at A.C. Wathey Pier in Philipsburg, St. Maarten. The wharf can host up to six cruise ships a day approximately 15,000 visitors a day.
While there are several stores and cafes at the dock, as with many cruise ports in the Caribbean, the majority of tourist attractions are just outside of town. Cruisers will need to take a taxi, bus, rental car or water taxi to get to them.
There is a visitor information center at A.C. Wathey Pier where cruise passengers can book tours of the island, pick up maps if they want to explore St. Maarten on their own, or take taxis to beaches or other points of interest on the island.
Cruise passengers can opt to walk to the heart of Philipsburg and Front Street, the main shopping and dining area it is less than a mile away from the pier.
Best Attractions Near The Cruise Port In Saint Martin/sint Maarten
BY Amber NolanTravel Expert
The Caribbean island of St. Maarten/St. Martin is no stranger to tourism: it is a common stop on most major cruise lines and its port can accommodate up to six ships at any time – that’s around 15,000 people visiting for the day. With such a constant flow of visitors, there are plenty of things to do in and around the cruise port.
For starters, there’s Wathey Square, a shopping and dining hub that is an easy way to pass time upon arrival in port, and Front Street offers a wealth of shops and boutiques. Beach goers can head to Little Bay Beach for a day of playing on the shoreline or the Sunset Bar and Grill where they can watch sun dwellers get blasted by the gust from jet engines as the planes take off at the neighboring airport.
For truly unique experiences, visitors can play pirate and walk the plank with Treasure Seekers, or drive a Water UFO – some thing that only exists in St. Maarten. Culinary tours offer an opportunity to learn about the history and culture of the area while sampling its delicious food.
All of this can be found without having to wander to the other side of the island, so visitors can pack in numerous activities without having to worry about rushing back to the ship and dealing with the consistent traffic jams of the island. Here are 10 attractions near the cruise port to make planning easier for passengers.
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Water Taxi To Philipsburg
Port View Saint Martin
Specially now, as some sites, beaches and attractions in St. Martin are still recovering form the devastation of Irma, its advisable to double check what is working 100% and what may not be fully functional as yet. The Tourist Information Desk at the Terminal is the right place to get this type of updated info.
When Do Cruise Ships Dock
How do you find out which days the ships are in port. Is it possible to find out in advance, or do you have to wait until you get to the island? Would help to know which days to avoid shopping, Orient Beach etc.
We are going May13-20, for the first time.
Staying at
Also try www.traveltalkonline.com
Click on the St. Maarten link and on the top of that page is a link to cruise ship schedule
Thanks for the quick answer. I will check those sites.
When we were there in October we consulted that schedule. On the day there wasn’t supposed to be any ships, there were!
Please let me know how you like the Belair as we are staying there early June and have never been to St. Maarten before. Would greatly apreciate it and have a good time!
Will post review when we get back. Counting the days, as I’m sure you are.
I’ll check with hotel staff about ships also, thanks for the heads up on schedule.
Have stayed at Belair several times. We really like it.
All units are two bedroom, two bath -however, the second bedroom is quite small. Full kitchen with burners and fridge and all the utensils, coffee maker, toaster etc. No oven or dishwasher – but there is a microwave and toaster oven. Large open dining/living room. HUGE balcony overlooking little bay which is beautiful. Table and loungers on balcony. You can watch the cruise ships come and go. All units are beach front views.
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Off The Beaten Path Adventures
Leave the touristy spots of St. Martin/Maarten and discover the hidden gems of the island in an off the beaten path adventure. Whether it is kayaking, biking, swimming, or hiking, Tri-Sport knows how to show you the good stuff.
Go hiking in Guana Bay where you are guaranteed to be the only ones except your tour guides and goats. Or go mountain biking and experience something new while in Philipsburg, St. Maarten.
Explore The Town Of Philipsburg
Before taking a taxi tour of the island, its best to start with a brief walking tour of the nearby town of Philipsburg. It takes one 10-20 minutes to get to the heart of the colorful town of Philipsburg located 1 mile away from the pier.
You can do this by taking a scenic walk on the Philipsburg boardwalk or go sightseeing and window-shopping on the waterfront street a block behind the boardwalk.
Phillipsburg has a lot of Dutch charm to offer and there is always a festive mood on their end of the island. Enjoy shopping beautiful jewelry, sampling exotic rum drinks made from rare guava berries or hit the Casinos and try your luck.
Let the rich aroma of Caribbean cuisines guide you to an eatery, and grab a quick bite, before getting on with the rest of the days activities.
You can buy all your St. Maarten souvenirs from Amazon by going here.
Downtown is a hive of activity and a major part of that are the small electronic stores. Youll often find crew members buying there new phones and devices as the price can be much lower than in the U.S.
The first beach you will come across on the island is Great Bay beach which is readily accessible from the boardwalk. You can choose to stop here, just relax, splash a bit and take in the views of the gorgeous island.
However, if you are a more adventurous soul, there is much to see and do in both the Dutch and French side. So, get to the port early to have the best of the two places.
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St Martin And St Maarten Beaches
St Maarten has no shortage of beachesincluding those who only like wearing their birthday suits. Yup, the island is home to a nudist beach on the French side, called Orient Beach. A large reef runs along the coast and clothing is optional on the southern end, making it a popular spot for nudists and lookie-loos.
If exposure isnt your thing, you may want to stick to something more PG like Simpson Bay, which is considered one of the longest and nicest on the island. A number of cute little boats dot the turquoise water, and the beach is framed by green hills. This is the best spot to see neighbouring Caribbean islands, provided its a clear day.
Supplied
The islands most popular stretch of sand would have to be Great Bay, which is the beach that anyone arriving by boat first sees as they approach St. Maarten. The beach itself is huge, meaning you wont be sharing a beach towel with strangers, and the area is lined by a massive boardwalk that leads into Philipsburgs hotels, restaurants and shops.
Sint Maarten Travel Restrictions
As part of the islands COVID-19 response, all travelers to the island by air must complete a mandatory electronic health authorization application or they will not be able to board their flight. The processing time for the application takes about 12 hours to process, so make sure you do it a day or two before your flight to ensure its approved in time. The application includes the mandatory purchase of COVID-19 travel insurance and travelers must provide a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of departure.
Sint Maarten has several COVID-19 testing centers on the island and many of the hotels and resorts have sample collection services for getting tested upon your return home. Since travel rules and restrictions can change, make sure you double check whats required before you head to the airport! For more information about COVID-19 protocols, please visit www.stmaartenupdates.com.
When cruise ships return to the docks of Philipsburg this summer, Sint Maarten is going to be ready. The island has long been a top destination for cruisers and it looks like thats going to continue into the future!
This post was sponsored by the island of Sint Maarten
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Shore Excursions And On Your Own
Timothy Hill
Most excursions offered onboard – aka shorex – have tours to the most famous highlights of St. Kitts. In the descriptions of these excursions you will surely find places like the Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, the Historic Romney Manor, the Clay Villa Plantation, the Amazing Grace Experience or the Timothy Hill. Top and very popular tours include the Scenic Railway ride, and famous spots like Friars Bay or Frigate Bay to spend some time on the beach and/or enjoy all types of watersports.
Taxi Dispatch in Port Zante
Dining In Marigot Saint Martin
The cuisine is St. Martin is as unique as its surroundings, decidedly European with a Caribbean twist. Some of its specialties are: guavaberry liquor, codfish fritters, barbecue, beef patties and mutton soup.
The areas which have the greatest number of restaurants are Marigot, Grand-Case , and Orient Bay. If youre looking for something more casual than a sit-down restaurant, look for one of the many lolos which are kiosks that serve local seafood and barbecue.
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Where Do Cruise Ships Dock In St Maarten
please can someone tell me where cruise ships dock at st maarten,thanks
Divi Little Bay, and sometimes Great Bay. Stay away.
Many cruise people get off the boat and go to Divi Little Bay to use the beach and ameneties there.
Right across from the Great Bay Hotel…what I like about the ocean view room is that they change the ships every day!!
Its easy to arrange your own transpotation to Orient Beach if youd like and its not expensive. You can arrange for them to come back and pick you up there when you’re done or theres taxis sitting outside the beach and you can grab one of those. Just give yourself time because the ship won’t wait.
How St Maarten Recovered From Irma
On Monday, December 4, 2017, Viking Sea was the first cruise ship to call at the island of St Maarten since the passing of hurricane Irma earlier in September that same year. This was a key date for the cruise tourism.
Terminal
Even more encouraging news arrived a couple of weeks later when five cruise ships visited St Martin on Christmas and Boxing Day – Marella and Independence of the Seas , Grandeur of the Seas, Azamara Quest and Jewel of the Seas .
Ships Docked
The new year started with the return of Disney Cruises, Marella Celebration and Royal Caribbean’s massive Harmony of the Seas on January 2. The Koningsdam – Holland America Line – docked on January 6, and the luxurious Silver Wind called for an overnight on January 11.
Harmony of The Seas
For a cruise port that used to have as many as 6 cruise ships docked on weekdays before hurricane Irma, it may sound like a slow recovery. But whilst the Silver Wind was still in port, another 3 ships docked in St Maarten – Regal Princess, Eurodam and Anthem of the Seas. This was the first four ship day for St. Maarten’s 2018 season. Many more are coming and cruise life is getting back to normal.
Terminal
Now, any day can be a ’12K kind of day’. Just watch the video below filmed on January 11, 2017.
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